Dayton or Bust! The blog of 2 Saltaire historians on an American Adventure
Day 6: Chattanooga Sight Seeing
Monday 30th April
Today we took a break from historical matters and went to have a look at a couple of really outstanding sights on Lookout Mountain, on the outskirts of Chattanooga. The mountain is part of the Cumberland Plateau which extends 83 miles through Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia.
![](images/Dayton_blog_006_Chattanooga_Tennessee_River _from_Ruby_Falls.jpg)
View overlooking Chattanooga & Tennessee River from top of Ruby Falls Lookout
Our first stop was Ruby Falls, an underground waterfall located deep within Lookout Mountain. With a drop of 145 ft, the waterfall was discovered in 1928 and is approached through an extensive cave system. An awe-inspiring sight.
![](images/Dayton_blog_006_Ruby_Falls.jpg)
Ruby Falls
A little way along the mountain side is another area of natural beauty, opened a few years after Ruby Falls. The area is called Rock City – now something of a misnomer, because it has nothing to do with rock music. It is in fact a trail through natural rock formations which are really remarkable. The trail passes between immense boulders – some 40 or 50 ft high – making the trail almost impossibly narrow in parts.
![](images/Dayton_blog_006_Rock_City_Trail.jpg)
Rock City Trail
One passageway - Fat Man’s Squeeze – has to be bypassed by some visitors. The trail has been enhanced with the addition of bridges, tunnels, music, and spectacular viewing points –the so-called Lovers Leap allows visitors to see seven States in one panorama.
![](images/Dayton_blog_006_Lovers_Leap_Waterfall.jpg)
Lovers Leap & Waterfall
Both Ruby Falls and Rock City are great places to see, but we’re going back to Dayton tomorrow – we’ve been away two days and we’re homesick.
David & Dave